Refrigerated food cabinet



Feb. 7, 1928.

J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATED FooD CABINET Filed Nov. 9. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 7, 1928.

J. R. REPLOGLE REERIGERATED FOOD CABINET Filed Nov. 9. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A/w--fvmeD Feb. 7, 1928*. 1,658,209 J. R. REPLoGLE REFRIGERATED FOOD CABINET Filed Nov. 9. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E Arme/Vex;

J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATED FOOD CABINET Feb. 7, 1928.

Filed Nov. 9. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v 1 5 w of@ 3.0M#

/NvEA/we: eff W Arme/v? Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATESg PATENT oFFlcE.

JOHN R. REPLOGLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ELECTRIC REFRIGERATION CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION OF MICHIGAN.

.REFRIGERATED FOOD CABINET.

- Application filed November 9, 1923. Serial No. 673,678.

This invention relates to refrigerated cabinets for food and the like and particularly to cabinets of the character disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,476,546.

One object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerated cabinet structure that is amply strong and rigid without being unduly heavy.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet of the character -1n question having a construction that lends 1tself readily to quantity production.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet fitted with a readily .removable finishing casing, whereby handling of the cabinet in the process of manufacture is facilitated and renewal of the exterior surfaces of the cabinet after wear or injury is permitted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet having a casing that is 4thoroughly sanitary. 1

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cabinet having a casing structure that is pleasing in appearance.

Other objects of the invention, more or less incidental or ancillary to the foregoing, will appear in the following description which sets forth, in connection With the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodlment of the invention. y

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an enlarged vertical section through the main or machine cabinet, the section being taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 4.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sections showing structural details of the corner construction at the top and bottom, respectively, of the cabinet structure.

Fig. 3a is a side elevation on a reduced scale of the cabinet frame with the board Wall in place.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View of the f: main or machine cabinet with some of the parts broken away and some shown in section. i

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary horizontal sections showing details of the vertical corner construction of the cabinet.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the main or machine cabinet.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged right end elevation of the cabinet. l

` the cabinet.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the sheet steel blank from which are formed the corner brackets shown in Fig. 11.

Referring in detail to the construction of the cabinet, which is designated in its entirety by the numeral 1, the same comprises a rigid frame structure which is preferably made up to a considerable extent of standard structural steel forms. This frame lascomprises longitudinally extending bottom members 4, 4 (see Fig. 9) in the form of rolled steel angles, similar longitudinal top members 5, 5, similar transverse bottom members 6, 6 and transverse top members 7, 7 said top members beingsupported from the bottom members by steel angles 8, 8 (Figs. 5, 6 and 11) at the corners of the cabinet and flat steel bars 9, 9 (Fig. 9) intermediate the vends of the cabinet. The bottom frame members 4 and 6 are rigidly connected together and to the lower ends of the upright angles 8 by angle-shaped corner brackets l0, 10, and the top frame members 5 and 7 are similarly connected together and to the upper ends of the corner angles 8 by corner brackets-11, 11, said brackets 10 and 11 being securely riveted to the other members as shown in Fig. 11. The brackets 10 and 11 are preferably stamped from rolled sheet steel in the form shown in Fig. l2 and then bent to the form shown in Fig. 11. The uprights 9, 9 are preferably secured at their ends by rivets (not shown) to the bottom and top members 4 and 5 of the frame. a

Within the frame above described are assembled the top, bottom and side Walls of the cabinet. On reference to Figs. 3 and 11 it will be noted that both the bottomangles 4 and 6 and the top angles 5 and 7 of the frame are arranged with one side of the angle horizontal and the other extending upward therefrom. On the horizontal sides of the bottom angles are arranged transverse i floor boards 12, 12 and 13 and on these Hoor boards are erected board side walls 14, 14, and a board right end wall 1' 16, 16 are .upright partition wall boards. As viewed in Fig. 1 the said partition wall divides the cabinet into a large section at the right for food and a smaller section at the left for the compressor-condenser unit of the cabinet.

To render the walls of the food section of the cabinet highly heat-insulating the floor boards are supplemented by slabs 17, 17 of sheet cork and the side wall boards 14 `and 15 and partition wall boards 16 are similarly supplemented by slabs of cork 18, 18.

On reference to Figs. 1 and 9 it will be observed that the bottom angles 4 and 6 not only provide bottom support for the bottom and side walls of the cabinet but also adequately prevent the outward displacement of said walls.

Each of the side walls 14 comprises top, middle and bottom strips 14, 14b and 14, respectively. The strips 14 and 14 are out away at their corners to accommodate the corner brackets 11 and 10, respectively. The length of the strips is such that their ends do not touch the upright corner angles, thus providing end play to facilitate as sembling. In assembling the boards are readily inserted through the sides ofthe frame. First, the board 14 is inserted, be` ing raised out of engagement with brackets 10 to permitl the necessary endwise movement, first in one direction and then the other, to bring both ends of the board back of corner angles 8, 8. Then board 14a is inserted in the same manner, being lowered away from brackets 11 to permit the needed endwise movement. Finally strip 14b is inserted. Said strip, in conjunction with brackets 11 and 1G hold boards 14 and 14 in place and the strip itself is sufficiently held by friction. 4

The board end walls of the cabinet are of the same character as the side walls above described.

The top wall of the cabinet consists of a transversely extending board section 19 over the compressor-condenser unit, a timber sect1on 20 overlying` the top of the partition wall, a series of similar transverse sections 21, 21, a transverse section 22 interposed between two of the sections 21 and a transverse timber section 23 overlying the right end wall of the cabinet. The top wall sections 21 and 22 are of laminated board construction and afford both adequate heatinsulating qualities and adequate strength. All of the top wall sections 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are Arigidly secured to the top angles 5 and 7 by means of cap screws 24, 24 as shown in Figs. 1 and 9.

Within the heat-insulating walls of the food section of the cabinet is arranged a sheet metal tank 25 for anti-freezing solu- -the bottom tion. Any knownsuitable solution of this character can be employed, such as brine, or a mixture of alcohol and water. I prefer to use the latter mixture rather than brine as alcohol and water solution does not attack soldered joints. However, for the sake of convenience, I will refer to the solution as brine, it being understood that this word is used in a generic sense indicating any antifreezing solution. The tank 25 rests upon a shallow sheet metal pan 26 which is supported by the bottom insulation 17. The tank 25 has verticalend and side walls 25a and top and bottom walls 25", 25, respectively. The top and bottom walls are apertured to receive the ends of three pairs of vertical sleeves 27, 27, 28, 28.", 29, 29. The ends of these sleeves are connected to the tank walls with liquid-tight joints. As shown in Fig. 10 for example, the said sleeves are formed at their upper and lower ends with circumferential beads 27 and 27 These beads form abutments for the top and bottom walls 25", 25, respectively, of the tank to permit the ends of the sleeves to be flanged over on said Walls as indicated. The bottom joint thus formed and preferably also the top joint are suitably soldered to render them liquid-tight.Y The sleeves 27, 27, 28, 29 and 29EL are cylindrical while the sleeve 28 has straight sides `with rounded corners (Fig.I 4). The cylindrical sleeves are designed to form receptacles to receive cans of bulk ice-cream, or the like, say 5- gallon cans, while the flat sided sleeve 28 is so made to better accommodate brick icecream. To take the impact ot the heavy icecream cans lowered into the sleeves, as well as support their weight, each of the sleeves is preferably provided at the lower end with a heavy sheet metal pan 30 which rests upon an 26. The top wall sections 21 of the ca inet are formed with apertures that register with the several sleeves and each of the cylindrical sleeves is fitted at its upper end with a guiding or protecting thimble 31. The thimbles 31 are vertically split at 31a as indicated in Figs. 1 and 11 top wall section 21 and the thimble is there' by adequately supported.

In the case of sleeve 28 the top wall aperture is fitted with a thimble 32 which is similarly split at 32 and provided with a sup` porting angehat its upper end. The thim le '32, however, does not extend into the sleeve 28 because the latter is fitted at its upper end with a flanged ring which supports a removable sheet metal cover 34. Each of the top wall apertures of the cabinet is fitted with a cover k35 which comprises a wood ring 35, a sheet metal top 35, a sheet metal bottom 35, a heat-insulating core 35 Joy of cork or the like, and a handle or knob 35 which is secured to the sheet metal top 35h. The sheet metal tank structure is preferably formed of sheet copper because of its non Corrodible characteristics and its high thermal conductivity. The inner cover 34 for the sleeve 28 is also preferably formed of sheet copper.

The sleeves 28, 28EL of the brine tank are spaced from the sleeves 29, 29a to provide "room for an evaporator designated in its enl the flooded type., is fitted with a float valve to admit liquid refrigerant and comprises a header 37 and a series of dependingI pipe loops or circulating tubes 38. @ne end of the header 37 is formed by a head casting 37"L having a flange 37D which is riveted or bolted to the edge of an aperture in the adjacent side wall of the tank 25, as shown in Fig. 4, the joint thus formed being soldered to render it liquid-tight. The lower ends of the pipe loops of the evaporator preferably rest on the bottom wall of the brine tank and, if desired, the evaporator can be further supported or braced from the walls of the tank by any suitable means.

I have providedV an opening in the top wall section 22 of the cabinet so that access may be had to a filling opening which is located in the top wall of the brine tank 25 directly underneath the first named opening. These two openings are sealed by means of the plugs 2 2a and 25d respectively. The tank 25 is filled with brine, through the above mentioned openings, preferably to a level somewhat below its top wall 25b so that the major parts of the sleeves 27, 27a, 28, 281, and 29, 29 and the evaporator are. immersed in or surrounded by the brine.

In the smaller section or compartment of the cabinet, at the left side of the partition wall, as viewed in Fig. l, is a suitable compresser and condenser mechanism designated in its entirety as 39. This mechanism, which is substantially the same as that in my pending application, Serial No. 475,344, and French Patent No. 547,971, above referred to, comprises an electric motor driven refrigerant compressor and condenser unit, together with automatic control mechanism therefor. the compressor, condenser and control mechanism being connected by suitable tion herein claimed is concerned it is possible to employ any form of gas condensingy and liquefyin means responsive to the temperature in t e brine tank. Consequently the compressor-condenser unit shown in the drawings need not be described in detail, it being sufficient to state that when the pressure rises in the vaporizer 36 to a certain point, due to the rise of temperature of the surrounding brine, the automatic control mechanism starts the compressor motor and the operation of the compressor draws the vaporized refrigerant from the vaporizer and this refrigerant is compressed and liquelied and then returned to the vaporizer as needed. The operation of the compressor reduces the pressure in the vaporizer which results in increased vaporization with resultant lowering of the temperature of the brine, and when the temperature of the brine and with it the vapor pressure in the vaporizer are reduced to a certain extent the control mechanism automatically stops the com ressor motor.

Tie motor driven compressor-condenser unit is made readily accessible by providing the adjacent end of the cabine-t with a removable closure which is preferably in the form of a sheet metal plate or panel 56. This panel is provided near its lower end with. a transverse angle iron 57 which has its two ends slotted at 57a to embrace the webs of the adjacent corner brackets l0. (Figs. l and 4.) .At its upper end the closure 56 is apertured to receive a stud 58 carried by an angle bracket 59 secured to the transverse angle 7 of the cabinet frame. The stud 58 has its end aplertured to receive a padlock (not shown). The panel 56 is readily removed by swinging its top end off the stud 58 and thereupon lifting the panel out of engagement with the webs of the corner brackets 10.

To provide adequate thickness of metal for the attachment of shipping skids and legs, metal blocks 60 are preferably secured to the under side of the frame structure at thc corners of the cabinet.

To provide the cabinet with an exterior finish attractive in appearance and adapted to resist the wear encountered under the usual service conditions, I provide the lateral and top walls with removable casing parts of suitable sheet metal. The two side walls and the right end walls are thus covered with enameled steel sheets 61 and 62. Because of the excellent quality of baked black enamel I prefer its use'on these sheets. The top wall of the cabinet on the other hand is covered with a continuous sheet of polished Monel metal of relatively heavy gauge. This sheet of Monel metal 63 is preferably die formed with apertures registering with the openings in the top wall sections 21, 21 and with an integrally formed depending flange 63a extending continuously around the sheet and adapted to overlie the upper edges of the sheets 61 and 62. In forming the sheet 63 its corners are well rounded at 63". The upright corners of the cabinet are given a suitable finish by providing angles 64, 64 preferably of polished Mon-el metal to harmonize with the top 63.

In applying the metal finishing sheets, the sheets 61 and 62 are secured along their lower edges by screws 65 to the bottom an gles 4 and 6, while their upright edges are covered by the angles 64 and with said angles secured by screws 66 to the upright corner angles 8. Similarly the edges of the plates 61 and 62 and flange 631" are secured by screws 67 to the top angles 5 and 7 of the frame. The compressor end of the cabinet is closed and finished b-y the sheet metal closure 56 above ldescribed and this closure plate is given a finish of black enamel uniform with that of plates 61 and 62. The finishing sheets 35b of the covers 35 are preferably formed of Monel sheet metal with polished finish like that of the top sheet 63.

By disposing the food compartments in pairs with the evaporator extending transversely between two of the pairs, as shown, I secure a natural circulation of t-he brine which substantially uniformly affects all of the food compartments and maintains them at substantially the same temperature. I have applied this construction successfully to cabinets with two pairs of food chambers, three pairs of food chambers as in the cabinet here described, and also four pairs and siX pairs of food chambers, the evaporator having a central position in the case of the cabinets with two, four an'd six pairs of food chambers.

While a properly constructed and installed refrigeration apparatus such as that illustrated is capable of operating satisfactorily without attention for an indefinite period it should receive periodic inspection .and it is desirable thatrit bereadily accessible. I provide fory such accessibility by mounting the condenser-compressor unit in the compartment at t-he end of the cabinet so that it can be quickl and easily exposed by simply removin@r t 1e en'd panel 56 Without in any way e hindering or preventing` access to the food chambers. Ice-cream cabinets must ordinarily be installed in the limited space available back .of store counters or soda fountains and I have found the arrangement of the food chambers in pairs with an interposed transversely arranged evaporator and the arrangement of the compressor unit, in an end compartment of the cabinet, to be one Whlch lends itself exceptionally well to the average space limitations referred to, as well as beino' highly satisfactory from the standpolnt of operation and inspection. Furthermore, the provision of a compartment for the compressor unit below the normal level of the top wall of the cabinet affords a corresponding unobstructed work space on the top of the cabinet that the users of the cabinet find eX- tremely convenient.

My improved form of framev construction, with removable finishing plates of sheet metal for the side and top walls of the cabinet, lends itself admirably to production on a quantity basis. The steel frame structure is readily fabricated with uniform accuracy. The wood and cork parts of the walls, cut to standard sizes, are readily assembled in the steel frame. Then, after the brine tank with its enclosed evaporator and food chambers has been installed and the compressor unit has been mounted in its compartment and connected with the evaporator, the cabinet can be subjected to the necessary operating tests and the cabinet rendered operatively complete before the sheet metal finishing plates are applied. These plates being applied at the very last before shipment of the cabinet, all injury of the exterior finish of the cabinet in the shop is avoided and the cabinet goes to the userin perfect condition.

By standardizing the top wall sections 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23, the top wall structure of cabinets having different numbers of food chambers and fitted with or without an evaporator, and with 0r without a compressor, is readily fabricated with a minimum number of standard parts.

In the retailing of bulk and brick icecream and ices it has always been difficult to maintain the brick ice-cream uniformly at a temperature low enough' to avoid softening of the bricks. I overcome this difficulty in my improved cabinet by providing the sheet copper cover plate 34 for the food chamber 28. The heat that will enter through the cover 35 of the chamber 28 comes into contact with the copper cover plate 34 and is conducted by said plate to the sheet metal tank structure from which it is absorbed by the cold brine instead of being absorbed by the icecream in the upper part of the chamber 28. In this way I am enabled to keep the top bricks as well as the lower ones at a suitably loja temperature.

In case of a rusting or corrosion or daniage of the finishing plates of the cabinet, said plates, being detachably secured, can be very easily renewed, thus restoring the original appearance of the cabinet at a relatively moderate expense.

In the use of the cabinet the walls of the food chambers become frosted somewhat by the freezing thereon of moisture precipitated from the air. The pan 26 serves the purpose of catching any water resulting from de-v frostiug of the walls whenever the cabinet is taken out of service and so preventing waterlil() soaking of the insulation material; and similarly the pan catches any ice-cream or the 1loike that may be spilled in the food chamerS lVhile I have shown and described in some detail the preferred forms of construction and preferred arrangement of the parts and devices, it Will be understood that in all respects there can be Wide variations without departing from the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of a frame structure comprising top, bottom and upright members of steel joined to form a rigid structure With rectangular sides; top, bottom, and side walls of heatinsulating material secured in the corresponding sides of said frame structure and supported thereby; a food chamber Within said Walls, one of said walls having an opening with a movable closure to afford access to said chamber; and' sheet metal finishing plates for the top and side walls of the cabinet removably secured to the steelv frame, the said Walls of heat-insulating material being supported by the frame independently of the said finishing plates.

2. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of a frame structure comprising top, bottom and upright members of steel joined to form a rigid structure With rectangular sides; top, bottom and side Walls of -heatinsulating material secured in the corresponding sides of said frame structure and supported thereby; a food chamber Within said Walls, one of said Walls having an opening with a movable closure to afford access to said chamber; sheet metal finishing plates for the top and side Walls of the cabinet, the top finishing plate having integrally formed depending sides overlapping the upper edges of the side plates; and means for removably securing said finishing plates to the steel frame, the said Walls of heat-insulating material being` supported by the frame independently of the said finishing plates.v

3. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of a frame comprising top, bottom and upright members in the form of steel angles joined to form a rigid structure with rectangular sides; top, bottom and side Walls of heat-insulating material for the corresponding sides of said frame secured on the inner sides of said top, bottom and upright angles; a food chamber'within the said Walls, one of said Walls having an opening with a movable closure to afford access to said chamber; and sheet metal finishing plates for said Walls removably secured on the outer sides of the frame angles, the sam Walls of heat-insulating material being supported by the frame independently of the said finishing plates.

4. In a refrigeratedv cabinet, `the combination of a frame comprising top, bottom and upright members in the form of steel angles joined to form a rigid structure with rectangular sides; top, bottom and side Walls of heat-insulating material for the corresponding sides lof said frame secured on the i'nner sides of said top, bottom and upright angles; a' food chamber within the said walls, one of said Walls having an opening with a movable closure to aiord access to said chamber; sheet metal finishing plates for the side walls of the cabinet, removably secured to the outer sides of the frame angles and a sheet metal finishing plate for the top Wall of the cabinet formed With peripheral depending flanges surrounding and removably secured to the outer sides of the top angles of the frame, the said Walls of heat-insulating material being supported by the frame independently of the said fin-V ishing plates.

5. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of a frame comprising top, bottom and upright members of steel joined to form a rigid structure with rectangular sides, the bottom frame members being angle forms arranged with their corners forming the lower corners of the frame; top, bottom and side Walls of heat-insulating material secured in the corresponding sides of the frame structure and supported thereby, the bottom Wall being supported by the horizontal sides of the ybottom angles of the frame; a food chamber within said Walls, one of said Walls having an opening with a movable closure to afford access to said chamber; and sheet metal finishing plates for the top and side walls of the cabinet removably secured to the steel frame, the said Walls of heat-insulating material being supported by the frame independently of the said finishing plates.

6. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of a frame comprising top, bottom and upright members of steel joined to form a rigid structure with rect-angular sides, the bottom frame members being angle forms arranged With their corners forming the lower corners of the :frame and the top frame members being angle forms which are arranged with one side horizontal and the other extending upward therefrom; top, bottom and side walls of heat-insulating material secured iu the corresponding sides of the frame structure and supported thereby, the top and bottom Walls being supported by the horizontal sides of the top and bottom angles, res cctively, of the frame; a food chamber Within the said Walls, one of said Walls having an opening with a removable closnre to afford access to said chamber; and sheet metal finishing plates for the top and side Walls of the cabinet removabl secured to the steel frame, the said wal s of heatTinsulating material being supported by the frame independently of the said finishinfr plates.

In a refrigerated food cabinet, the combination of a metal brine tank having an opentopped food chamber arranged to be surrounded by the brine; heat-insulating Walls around said brine tank including a top Wall having an opening registering with the food chamber; a heat-insulating movable closure for the opening in the top Wall; and a supplemental inside metallic closure for the top opening of the food chamber, the latter clo- 'sure having heat-conducting metal connection with the metallic Walls of the brine tank.

8. A sheet metal brine tank for refrigerated cabinets liaving horizontal top and bottom Walls formed with registering apertures, an upright sleeve having its endsl eX- tending through said apertures and formed with circumferentially extending outwardly projecting beads on the inner sides of said top and bottom Walls and having its respective ends flanged outward to Aengage the outer sides of said .top and bottom Walls.

9. In a refrigerated cabinet, the combination of horizontal top and bottom Walls land upright side Walls; a plurality of opentopped rood chambers arranged Within said walls; the said top Wall having openings registering with said food chambers; movable closures for the said openings; enanieled sheet metal finishing plat-es ren'iovably secured on the side Walls; a finishing plate of polished Monel metal removably secured on the top Wall; and finishing plates of polished Monel metal on said movable closures.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my signature.

JOHN R. REPLOGLE. 

